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[gandgracing]

Before installing my plate exchanger for the DHW I would only have to fill the boiler once a day on a really cold day.  I aquired a new ( looks like a 15 plate 1" inlets) plate exchanger from a buddy that didnt want to mess with it, and now I'm filling it twice a day on a mild day(40-50's).  Will switching it out with maybe a 30 plate do any better?  Currently we have endless amout of hot water with 5 kids but cant believe how much a load it changed.

[willieG]

Before installing my plate exchanger for the DHW I would only have to fill the boiler once a day on a really cold day.  I aquired a new ( looks like a 15 plate 1" inlets) plate exchanger from a buddy that didnt want to mess with it, and now I'm filling it twice a day on a mild day(40-50's).  Will switching it out with maybe a 30 plate do any better?  Currently we have endless amout of hot water with 5 kids but cant believe how much a load it changed.

5 kids and 2 adults...some states say  average hot water use is between 20 and 30 gal a day per person lest say 20   times 7 ..140 gpd x 8 (pounds per gallon) 1120 pounds x 65 degree increase (water from 55 to 120) ....72,800 btu needed ot heat your water...wood has anywhere from 6000  to 3000 recoverable btu per pound of wood depending on moisture content and furnace rating...so lets go high with 5000 about 15 pounds of wood to heat your days water.
that should be about it unless you have a heeat leak somewhere?

[yoderheating]

 Size of plate isn't going to matter when it comes to using wood. Its making the water hot and saving you money, its just showing you how much its saving.

[chillyhiker]

I just fired up my owb the other day and was suprised my self at how much of a load the 20 plate heat exchanger puts on the stove.I was out at the stove and it was 180 degrees a couple mins later it was 155....I knew my wife had just gotten into the shower before I went out to the stove...when she was done it recovered pretty quick but I never dreamed it would drop like that. now when I hooked up my heat exchanger in the garage thats un insulated It pulled it down to 150 but boy was it toasty in there ...I should also mention I didnt have a whole lot of wood in it so Ill see how it does with  more wood.

[Scott7m]

Chilly, what did the set point turn out to be